Re: Chevelle updates
I said I wasn't gonn'a do it....but I'm gonn'a do it. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/no.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/frown.gif[/img]
I've been talking with an old friend who owns a pretty stout street `69 Nova. For years he's ran bias plies on it, and of course has fought with the lack of traction and wrestling with the car to keep it from following every rut and groove on the road that bias plies are so well-known for.
But the car did look killer.
Recently, he finally broke down and switched to radials...not just any radials, but M/T E.T. Street Radials along with a pair of M/T front street radials. To say he loves them would be an understatement.
Yesterday evening he stopped by so I could check them out. Years ago he mini-tubbed the car, and as such now has room for 325/50/15 tires which are mounted on 15X10 Centerline Auto Drag wheels. He offered to take me for a quick ride (no pun intended) so I could see how they worked.
Note that this Nova was a mid 11 second car 20 years ago, and is likely even quicker now with several recent engine refinements, but the car hasn't been to the track since these updates. Also to note, the car previously ran a 400 Turbo with a loose converter but now sports a Tremec 5 speed manual OD trans. The engine is a solid roller 468, and the rear is a 12 bolt with 4.10 gears.
To get to the point, we hopped in the car and headed out for a brief run around town. As he turned onto a relatively quiet side road, he rolled into it hard in first gear, and much to my amazement, the tires stuck like bubblegum in a bouffont hair-do. A hearty slam into 2nd bounced my noggin off the seat back and failed to produce even the slightest whimper from the tires. 3rd gear came quickly and by then we were rolling along nicely, so he backed it down. This was repeated twice more, each with the same results--not even a <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="text-decoration: underline">chirp</span></span></span> from those tires.
I'll have a set of 275/60/15 M/T Drag Radials here tomorrow afternoon.
[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/blush.gif[/img]
In my defense: Simply put, while the Goodyears are aesthetically un-touchable on the car, I'm more concerned with making the car safe...and something that I can <span style="font-style: italic">still</span> put sideways in 3rd gear just isn't safe.
I know the F.A.S.T. and the Pure Stock gang are hauling ass on these tires (skinnier ones than mine no less), but that's with shaved tires, a prepped track, and any number of other "tricks" (which we won't get into here) that just aren't feasible for something that I want to drive more often.
So please forgive me for my transgressions from the school of "old" in this instance.
Pics and a road report shortly.
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